By Sheer Pluck

A. Henty G.

Description

Frank Hargate is not your average teenage boy. He's a dedicated amateur scientist whose evenhanded demeanor often comes in handy, such as in the case when he is able to avert a tragedy by saving several classmates from drowning. Based on his valor, he is selected to serve as an assistant to a well-known naturalist on a two-year expedition into the heart of Africa.

Sujets

• Adventure (Guyana)
• Adventure

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776674718
• Langue: English

Extrait

BY SHEER PLUCK
A TALE OF THE ASHANTI WAR
* * *
G. A. HENTY
 
*
By Sheer Pluck A Tale of the Ashanti War First published in 1884 Epub ISBN 978-1-77667-471-8 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77667-472-5 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
*
Chapter I - A Fishing Excursion Chapter II - A Mad Dog Chapter III - A Tough Yarn Chapter IV - A Rising Tide Chapter V - Alone in the World Chapter VI - The First Step Chapter VII - An Old Friend Chapter VIII - To the Dark Continent Chapter IX - The Start Inland Chapter X - Lost in the Forest Chapter XI - A Hostile Tribe Chapter XII - A Negro's Story Chapter XIII - A Fugitive Slave Chapter XIV - A Christian Town Chapter XV - The Amazons of Dahomet Chapter XVI - Captives in Coomassie Chapter XVII - The Invasion of Fanti Land Chapter XVIII - The Attack on Elmina Chapter XIX - The Tide Turned Chapter XX - The White Troops Chapter XXI - The Advance to the Prah Chapter XXII - The Battle of Amoaful Chapter XXIII - The Capture of Coomassie
Chapter I - A Fishing Excursion
*
"Now, Hargate, what a fellow you are! I've been looking for youeverywhere. Don't you know it's the House against the Town boys. It'slucky that the Town have got the first innings; they began a quarter ofan hour ago."
"How tiresome!" Frank Hargate said. "I was watching a most interestingthing here. Don't you see this little chaffinch nest in the bush, with anewly hatched brood. There was a small black snake threatening the nest,and the mother was defending it with quivering wings and open beak. Inever saw a prettier thing. I sat quite still and neither of them seemedto notice me. Of course I should have interfered if I had seen the snakegetting the best of it. When you came running up like a cart horse, thesnake glided away in the grass, and the bird flew off. Oh, dear! I amsorry. I had forgotten all about the match."
"I never saw such a fellow as you are, Hargate. Here's the opening matchof the season, and you, who are one of our best bats, poking about afterbirds and snakes. Come along; Thompson sent me and two or three otherfellows off in all directions to find you. We shall be half out beforeyou're back. Wilson took James's wicket the first ball."
Frank Hargate leaped to his feet, and, laying aside for the present allthoughts of his favorite pursuit, started off at a run to the playingfield. His arrival there was greeted with a mingled chorus of welcomeand indignation. Frank Hargate was, next to Thompson the captain of theTown eleven, the best bat among the home boarders. He played a steadyrather than a brilliant game, and was noted as a good sturdy sticker.Had he been there, Thompson would have put him in at first, in orderto break the bowling of the House team. As it was, misfortunes had comerapidly. Ruthven and Handcock were bowling splendidly, and none of theTown boys were making any stand against them. Thompson himself had gonein when the fourth wicket fell, and was still in, although two wicketshad since fallen, for only four runs, and the seventh wicket fell justas Frank arrived, panting, on the ground.
"Confound you, Hargate!" Thompson shouted, "where have you been? And noteven in flannels yet."
"I'm very sorry," Frank shouted back cheerfully, "and never mind theflannels, for once. Shall I come in now?"
"No," Thompson said. "You'd better get your wind first. Let Fenner comein next."
Fenner stayed in four overs, adding two singles as his share, whileThompson put on a three and a two. Then Fenner was caught. Thirty-oneruns for eight wickets! Then Frank took the bat, and walked to theground. Thompson came across to him.
"Look here, Hargate, you have made a nice mess of it, and the game looksas bad as can be. Whatever you do, play carefully. Don't let out atanything that comes straight. The great thing is to bother their bowlinga bit. They're so cocky now, that pretty near every ball is straight onthe wickets. Be content with blocking for a bit, and Handcock will soongo off. He always gets savage if his bowling is collared."
Frank obeyed orders. In the next twenty minutes he only scored six runs,all in singles, while Thompson, who was also playing very carefully, puton thirteen. The game looked more hopeful for the Town boys. Then therewas a shout from the House, as Thompson's middle wicket was sent flying.Childers, who was the last of the team, walked out.
"Now, Childers," Thompson said, "don't you hit at a ball. You're safe tobe bowled or caught if you do. Just lift your bat, and block them eachtime. Now, Frank, it's your turn to score. Put them on as fast as youcan. It's no use playing carefully any longer."
Frank set to to hit in earnest. He had now got his eye well in, and thestand which he and Thompson had made together, had taken the sting outof the bowling. The ball which had taken Thompson's wicket was the lastof the over. Consequently the next came to him. It was a little wide,and Frank, stepping out, drove it for four. A loud shout rose fromthe Town boys. There had only been one four scored before, during theinnings. Off the next ball Frank scored a couple, blocked the next,and drove the last of the over past long leg for four. The next overChilders strictly obeyed orders, blocking each ball. Then it was Frank'sturn again, and seven more went up on the board. They remained togetherfor just fifteen minutes, but during that time thirty-one had been addedto the score. Frank was caught at cover point, having added twenty-eightsince Thompson left him, the other three being credited to Childers. Thetotal was eighty-one—not a bad score in a school match.
"Well, you've redeemed yourself," Thompson said, as Frank walked to thetent. "You played splendidly, old fellow, when you did come. If we do aswell next innings we are safe. They're not likely to average eighty. Nowget on your wicket-keeping gloves. Green and I will bowl."
The House scored rapidly at first, and fifty runs were put on with theloss of four wickets. Then misfortune fell upon them, and the remainingsix fell for nineteen. The next innings Frank went in first, but wascaught when the score stood at fifteen. Thompson made fourteen, but therest scored but badly, and the whole were out for forty-eight.
The House had sixty-one to get to win. Six wickets had fallen forfifty-one runs, when Thompson put Childers on to bowl. The change was afortunate one. Ruthven's stumps were lowered at the first ball. Handcockwas caught off the second. The spirits of the Town boys rose. There werebut two wickets more, and still ten runs to get to win. The House playedcautiously now, and overs were sent down without a run. Then off a ballfrom Childers a four was scored, but the next ball leveled the outsidestump. Then by singles the score mounted up until a tremendous shoutfrom the House announced that the game was saved, sixty runs beingmarked by the scorers. The next ball, the Town boys replied even morelustily, for Childers ball removed the bails, and the game ended ina tie. Both parties were equally well satisfied, and declared that abetter game had never been played at Dr. Parker's. As soon as the gamewas over Frank, without waiting to join in the general talk over thegame, put on his coat and waistcoat and started at a run for home.
Frank Hargate was an only son. His mother lived in a tiny cottage on theoutskirts of Deal. She was a widow, her husband, Captain Hargate, havingdied a year before. She had only her pension as an officer's widow,a pittance that scarce sufficed even for the modest wants of herself,Frank, and her little daughter Lucy, now six years old.
"I hope I have not kept tea waiting, mother," Frank said as he ran in."It is not my beetles and butterflies this time. We have been playing acricket match, and a first rate one it was. Town boys against the House.It ended in a tie."
"You are only a quarter of an hour late," his mother said, smiling,"which is a great deal nearer being punctual than is usually the casewhen you are out with your net. We were just going to begin, for I knowyour habits too well to give you more than a quarter of an hour's law."
"I'm afraid I am horridly unpunctual," Frank said, "and yet, mother, Inever go out without making up my mind that I will be in sharp to time.But somehow there is always something which draws me away."
"It makes no matter, Frank. If you are happy and amused I am content,and if the tea is cold it is your loss, not ours. Now, my boy, as soonas you have washed your hands we will have tea."
It was a simple meal, thick slices of bread and butter and tea, for Mrs.Hargate could only afford to put meat upon the table once a day, andeven for that several times in the week fish was substituted, when theweather was fine and the fishing boats returned, when well laden. Frankfortunately cared very little what he ate, and what was good enough forhis mother was good enough for him. In his father's lifetime things hadbeen different, but Captain Hargate had fallen in battle in New Zealand.He had nothing besides his pay, and his wife and children had lived withhim in barracks until his regiment was ordered out to New Zealand, whenhe had placed his wife in the little cottage she now occupied. He hadfallen in an attack on a Maori pah, a fortnight after landing in NewZealand. He had always intended Frank to enter the military profession,and had himself directed his education so long as he was at home.
The loss of his father had been